People get say in policing their own neighbourhoods

COMMUNITIES are to be given a say in the policing of their own towns and neighbourhoods with the setting up of the first Joint Policing Committees (JPCs).

However, the membership of each committee will be top-heavy with politicians, with as many as 13 councillors and six TDs and senators involved, compared to just two garda officers and two or three representatives of the community and voluntary sector.

The first 22 committee locations were revealed yesterday in a joint announcement by Justice Minister Michael McDowell and Environment and Local Government Minister Dick Roche, who will co-fund the programme with an initial grant of €600,000.